Portland residents invited to weigh in on housing issues

The Portland City Council’s Housing Committee is inviting the public to attend a housing forum May 25 on the Portland campus of the University of Southern Maine.

The community discussion, which will feature small discussion groups with facilitators, is designed to help committee members identify important housing issues. Over the past four months, the committee has received more than 135 ideas and recommendations concerning housing issues in Maine’s largest city.

The Portland City Council's Housing Committee is inviting the public to attend a May 25 forum to hear about issues related to housing in the city. 2013 Press Herald File Photo/Gabe Souza

A few of the ideas that have been brought to the committee’s attention include: rent control, a moratorium on no-cause evictions, hiring a tenant/landlord ombudsman to mediate disputes, increasing the notification period for proposed rent increases or non-renewal of leases, and passing an ordinance prohibiting new development projects from denying tenants access to low-income units based on a poor credit history. City spokeswoman Jessica Grondin said the forum will be held at USM’s Wishcamper Center, 34 Bedford St., from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

No decisions will be made at the forum, but information gathered at the discussion will be used by committee members at their June 8 meeting to develop a list of housing recommendations for more in-depth study by city staff.

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William S. Linnell

Include an ordinance to allow tiny houses, as in Austin, Texas.

TheWholeTruth

Portlands affordable housing problem is a direct result of immigration. There was a time when housing for low income families was mostly Riverton park, sagamore village, and Kennedy park. Now those places are used for immigrants and naturalized citizens have been pushed out into areas that are being gentrified. The city expects landlords to not cash in on all this new money coming into the city? Typical liberal govt. Create a problem and expect the taxpaying public to fix it.